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Ulcerative Colitis
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Another UC wife
Veteran Member
Joined : Jun 2007
Posts : 2111
Posted 10/6/2007 9:06 PM (GMT -8)
Hi Everyone - well we had a productive trip at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville this past week.  He met with the GI doctor and had fasting labs done on Monday.  Tuesday an MRI. Wednesday a sigmoidoscopy examining 2/3rds of the colon. Thursday a free day.  Friday met with a colorectal surgeon.

Long story short.....the UC is showing definite signs of heading towards a remission as we thought.  The colon is mending and what remains is some mild inflammation on the left side and more stubborn inflammation on the rectal end of things.  No surgery is needed which we though might be the case due to the low rectal discomfort.

The pain/discomfort he has before, during and after his bm's concerned the dr which is the reason for the MRI and exam by the colorectal surgeon.  The surgeon was not overly concerned - it seems the hemmoroids are quite inflamed from all of this.

The Imuran was increased from 75mg to 150mg which I thought was going to happen after my education on the forum here even though his local GI was being super conservative with the dose.  Monthly blood tests for 3 specific things are to be done and the dr will prescribe the imuran on a month to month basis and monitor this new dosage very carefully.

Stopping the colocourt and going to the cortifoam at bed and early am for 4 weeks then just at night and the canasa suppository in the morning.

Iron levels are fine - stop the B12 shots and one iron pill a day instead of 3.

The prednisone tapering will reduce from the current 15mg we are holding at when we get back from ARuba.

Warm sitz baths will help to calm and soothe and relax the rectum. The surgeon also recommended plain zinc oxide around the rectal area -put a little about 1/2" inside and a little on the outside.

He needed to do 2 enemas for the MRI, 2 enemas and the citrus magnesium drink for the sigmoid, and 2 enemas for the colorectal exam.  If this had been 6 weeks or so ago he could have never gotten through these 3 preps without some kind of regressing.

He made out so well and bounced back from this so well I was really amazed.  I fugured this week's ordeal would set him back and didn't.

It's funny when the Dr mentioned switching to a foam I asked if that would be Cortifoam and when he mentioned a suppository I also asked if it would be canasa.  He was a bit surprised that I knew what he might be prescribing.  Of course I mentioned I have been getting quite an education from all of you!!!

A good amount of time was spent with us and I think it was an easier treatment since he had already gone through the worst of it and had tried several things and the imuran for the past 4 1/2 months seems to have started to make a difference.  So hopefully the doubling up on the imuran will move things along even faster and he will have no problem tolerating that level of a dose.

We go back on November 7th for a follow up and more labs.

I felt so much more prepared for this visit with all the insight I have gotten from here.

Thanks again.

 

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Bennie
Veteran Member
Joined : Nov 2006
Posts : 552
Posted 10/6/2007 9:12 PM (GMT -8)
I'm so happy to hear it was a good visit. It's great that your husband is doing better. Have a wonderful trip.

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quincy
Elite Member
Joined : May 2003
Posts : 33573
Posted 10/7/2007 12:32 AM (GMT -8)
Wow, definitely sounds promising regarding the new med regimen. It was a good move to get an opinion from Mayo.

Your preparation paid off.....always good to know the "lingo"..even better when the doc is surprised by it.

Have a great trip...keep us posted as to how your husband is doing when you get back.

quincy
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tjf
Veteran Member
Joined : Dec 2005
Posts : 3238
Posted 10/7/2007 4:24 AM (GMT -8)
Hurray for a great doctor's visit!
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Another UC wife
Veteran Member
Joined : Jun 2007
Posts : 2111
Posted 10/7/2007 5:03 AM (GMT -8)
Hey Bennie, Heather and Tabitha - thank you. It's so nice to see that light at the end of the tunnel. And as my husband says......and there's not a train there!!!

We are hoping that the cortifoam 2x day in place of the colocourt will be a better medicine to clear up the rectal pain, in addition to warm soaks in the tub and possibly the zinc oxide.

We are both anxious to start getting off the pain meds. I suggested starting to take away one of the morphine sulf pills a day for a week, then the other and leave just the patch since that doesn't go thru the organs like the pills do. Then when it seems like that is ok to stop the patch.

We will see how it goes.....if I had to guess it will be after vacation. Fortunately the pain meds do not make him spacey but that was definitely the difference in being able to function little by little. Right now the main thing is to go on this vacation and enjoy it as he remembers all too well how little he enjoyed the 2 weeks last year in Aruba.

I hope he can enjoy a long remission when he gets to that point. From all I read here he will have to definitely pay CLOSE attention when things go amiss and it looks like a flare might be on the horizon again and nip it in the bud before it gets too bad. It will be a constant battle for sure but I know I have a great place here to bounce future questions off of.
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MitzMN
Veteran Member
Joined : Feb 2007
Posts : 679
Posted 10/7/2007 6:14 AM (GMT -8)
That's just fabulous news. Isn't it great dealing with professionals who know their stuff and seem to be most interested and focused on getting you well? It just makes you feel so much relief and confidence that they know what you are going through and are going to try to lead you out of the woods you've been bumping around in, hitting your head on tree after tree, trying to find your way back to good health. There's a plan -- that makes sense!

I'm so glad, too, this happened before Aruba, so you and hubby can really use that time to relax and feel like there is a plan in place to get him to optimum health, and to really, really feel like that's possible. Hopefully the anxiety of the past few years will be a thing only seen in the rear-view mirror from now on and you two can get about the "job" of enjoying your retirement!

Great to read this positive post!

Mitz
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dakotagirl
Veteran Member
Joined : Apr 2006
Posts : 3402
Posted 10/7/2007 7:48 AM (GMT -8)
So glad to hear things went well and hubby is feeling better! Have a great time on your vacation! May the UC be peaceful :)
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UCinNC
Veteran Member
Joined : May 2007
Posts : 528
Posted 10/7/2007 8:55 AM (GMT -8)
this is such an encouraging post. I am really glad everything went well. thank you for sharing your experience with us. nice to read something optomistic and positive. enjoy aruba!!!
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AlabamaBabs
Regular Member
Joined : Jul 2007
Posts : 172
Posted 10/7/2007 8:57 AM (GMT -8)
Thanks for keeping us posted-- I learned so much from this and hope you have a fantastic trip!
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Another UC wife
Veteran Member
Joined : Jun 2007
Posts : 2111
Posted 10/7/2007 9:03 AM (GMT -8)
It's funny though....the very first visit on Monday AM was a one on one with the doctor along with his medical records. I was taken aback a little. That's the procedure unless we were more insistent I guess. The HIPPA rules and regs influence alot of this stuff too.

Of course I had a hundred questions for hubby after the consult . Everything he said and what the Dr covered and the revised schedule for labs and other tests and follow up with the Dr that I would later be included in I was then relieved knowing that the real important stuff was all discussed and covered.

Guess I'm a bit of a control freak - but I'm the one keeping all the records, facts and staying on top of everything and not sure just how much was sinking in with him as he has gotten somewhat dependant on me. Actually he did just fine which made me feel even better....he is listening to me after all...lol.
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